Railroad-signal.



ALW. BOWER.

RAILROAD SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 2, 1910.

Patented June 3, 1913.

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ill ill [I III lift COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON. D c

A. W. BOWER.

' RAILROAD SIGNAL.

APPLIOATION FILED D130. 2, 1910.

Patented June 3, 1913.

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adapted to be arranged.

ALEXANDER WILLIAM BOWER, on DERBY, ooLoI'tADo.

RAILROAD-SIGNAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 2, 1910.

Patented June 3, 1913. Serial No. 595,258.

T0 (ZZZ whom. it may concern.

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER N. BOWER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Derby, in the county of Adams and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in RailroadSignals, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to signals and more particularly to a railroad signaling device which is primarily devised with a view to its use in connection with the block system, now

in common use.

The invent-ion has for its principal object the provision of a simple and positively operating signal which operates a semaphore to indicate when a'train is in a block and when it has passed from said block into the next adjacent block, thus cautioning another train entering the first block and avoiding the liability of collision.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section through the signal box, the signaling mechanism being shown in elevation; Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 tion taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4: is a section taken on the line 4-4: of. Fig. 2.

Referring in detail to the drawings 5 designates the signal box or casing which is preferably rectangular in form and has a supporting base or platform 6 arranged therein intermediate of its ends. Upon this platform the signal operating mechanism is mechanism is mounted in a suitable frame consisting of a base 7 and the vertical U shaped members 8 which are secured to the opposite ends of said base. The vertical portions of the frame members 8 are con nected by means of the horizontal bars 9 and upon one of these bars a bracket 10 is secured on which the electro-magnets 11 are arranged. A plate 12 is secured to the other horizontal connecting bar 9 and one of the end frame members 8. On this plate the electro-magnets 13 are arranged. Bean ing arms 14 are also secured to the plate 12 and extend forwardly therefrom. These arms are adapted to movably support an is a sec.-

This signaling.

armature to be attracted by the magnets 13 as will more fully hereinafter appear. To the transversely disposed intermediate portions of the U-shaped members 8 the bearings 15 are secured. A rock shaft 15 is mounted in these bearings and upon this rock shaft a collar 16 is rigidly fixed. A bifurcated block 17 is loosely mounted upon the rock shaft, the ears 17 of said block being disposed upon opposite sides of the collar 16. The set screw 16 which fixes the collar on the shaft engages the base of the block 17 to limit its independent movement on the shaft in one direction. The block 17 is provided with a socket to receive an arm 18 which is fixed in said socket by means of a set screw 19 threaded into the block. To the outer end of the arm 18 an armature plate 20 is secured, and this plate is adapted to be attracted by the electro-magnets 11 to rock the shaft 15 in its bearings to operate the semaphore arm as will be apparent from the following description.

An armature carrying standard 21 is mounted for movement between the ends of the arms 14, said standard having a pivot pin 22 fixed in its lower end which is rotatably mounted in the bearing screws 23 which are threaded into the ends of the arms 14.. The armature plate 24: is horizon tally arranged upon the standard 21 and is fixed thereon by means of the binding screw 25. Upon the upper end of the standard 21 and on the rear face thereof the vertical parallel guide plates 26 are secured. An arm 27 is fixed upon the rock shaft 15 by means of the set screw 28 and a roller 29 is adjustably mounted in the end of this arm and is disposed for movement between the guide plates 26. A collar 30 is centrally fixed on the rock shaft 15 by means of the set screw 31 and carries a forwardly ex tending rod 32 upon which the plates 38 are arranged, said plates being fixed upon the rod by means of the clamping nut 34 which is threaded on a bolt 35 passing through said plates.

In the top of the signal box the tubular staif 36 is threaded and in the upper end of this staff an arbor 37 is rotatably mounted, said arbor having fixed upon one end the semaphore arm 38. This arm carries a plurality of differently colored lenses 39 which are adapted for movement over the lens of a signal lamp 4.0 which is suitably 1 fixed upon the upper end of the staff. An

arm 41 1s secured upon the arbor within the tubular staff and to this arm one end of a wire or cable 42 is secured. The other end of this cable carries a hook 43 for engagement in the openings 33 of the plates 33 which are fixed upon the outer end of the rod 32 mounted on the rock shaft 15.

In the operation of the device, the electromagnets 11 and 13 are arranged in a suitable circuit so that both sets of magnets will be first energized and the semaphore arm moved to its danger position. After the train passes out of the danger zone, the magnets 13 are d'eenergize'd so that the shaft 15 will rock and move the semaphore to its caution position. The rocking movement of the shaft is limited by the magnets 11 which remain energized and attract the armature plate 20 carried by the arm 18 which is mounted upon the shaft 15. he deenergization of the electromagnets 11 releases the shaft for further rocking movement so that the semaphore arm may swing downwardly to an inoperative position, thus indicating that the track is clear.

A hinged door 55 is provided in the signal box and is connected by the chains 56 to the sides of the box whereby ready access may be had to the signaling mechanism when the same requires repairing. A second door 57 is also provided in one side of the box at the lower end thereof for positioning storage batteries in the signal box when such means of electric current supply are employed. The door 57 may be held closed in any suitable manner as by means of a hasp rod 58 which is pivoted in the sides of the signal box and engages over a staple 59 fixed to the door 55, said staple receiving a padlock 60 so that the signaling mechanism cannot be tampered with by unauthorized parties.

From the foregoing it is believed that the construction and operation of my improved signal will be readily understood.

\Vhile I have shown and described the preferred construction and arrangement of the various elements, it will be understood that the invention is susceptible of considerable modification without departing from the essential feature or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is 1. A signal of the character described comprising two pairs of electro-magnets, said magnets being connected to a source of current supply, a rock shaft, an armature plate to be attracted by one pair of the magnets, a movable supporting means to which said armature is attached, an arm fixed on the rock shaft engaging with the supporting means for the armature to rock said shaft upon the energization of the one pair of magnets, a second armature loosely mounted on the rock shaft to be attracted by the other pair of magnets, means actuated upon the attraction of said armature to limit the reverse movement of said shaft, in combination with a semaphore arm, and a movable connection between the sema phorearm and the rock shaft to position aid semaphore arm upon the energization of the magnets, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A signal of the character described comprising two pairs of electro-magnets connected to a suitable source of electric supply, a vertically disposed pivotally mounted standard, an armature plate carried by said standard to be attracted by one pair of magnets, a rock shaft, an arm fixed on said rock shaft and engaging said standard whereby the shaft is rocked upon the attraction of the armature, a second arma ture loosely mounted on the rock shaft to be attracted by the other pair of magnets, means actuated upon the attraction of said armature to limit the reverse movement of said shaft, a rod rigidly fixed on the rock shaft, in combination with a semaphorearm, and a flexible connection between the semaphore arm and said rod to position said semaphore arm upon the energization of the magnets, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. A signal of the character described comprising two pairs of electro-magnets, said magnets being wired to a suitable source of electric supply, a pivotally mounted standard, an armature plate carried by said standard for attraction by one pair of magnets,a rock shaft, an arm fixed on the rock shaft, a roller mounted on said arm, a guide for said roller carried by the standard, a second arm loosely mounted on the rock shaft, an armature plate carried by the arm for attraction by the other pair of magnets, means actuated upon. the attraction of said armature to limit the reverse movement of said shaft, in combination with a semaphore arm, and a flexible connection between the semaphore arm and the rock shaft to position said semaphore arm upon the energization of the magnets, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. A signal of the character described con'iprising two pairs of electro-magnets, said magnets being wired to a suitable source of electric supply, a movably mounted armature to be attracted by one pair of magnets, a rock shaft, means for rocking said shaft upon the attraction of the armature, a second armature loosely mounted on the rock shaft, said armature being adapted for attraction by the other pair of magnets, means actuated upon the attraction of said armature to limit the reverse movement of said shaft, a rod fixed on the rock shaft, in

combination With a semaphore arm, and means connecting the semaphore arm and said rod whereby said semaphore arm is positioned upon the energization of the magnets.

5. A signal of the character described comprising tWo pairs of electro-magnets Wired to a suitable source of electric supply, a movably supported armature plate to be attracted by one pair of said magnets, a rock shaft, means for rocking said shaft upon the attraction of the armature, a block loosely mounted on the shaft, a stop fixed on the shaft to limit the independent movement of the shaft relative to the block in one direction, an arm removably fixed in the block, an armature plate carried by the arm for attraction by the other pair of magnets, a collar fixed centrally on the rock shaft, a rod carried by the collar, in combination with a semaphore arm, and a flexible connection between the semaphore arm and said rod to position the semaphore arm upon the energization of the magnets, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aHiX my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

I ALEX. WVILLIAM BOWER. Vitnesses JOSEPH F. Ross, WV. H. OBRIAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the. Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

